Islamabad: The year 2021 has seen a major surge in cases related to harassment and abuse of women, as at least 34,000 women registered complains in connection with various types of offences.
As per data, rape, honour killing, burning of women, sexual harassment and abuse cases were reported majorly from Pakistan’s Punjab province, while similar cases were also reported from Sindh and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa provinces. The data from Balochistan was not available for reference.
“Due to increased education and awareness among women, they are asserting their rights and challenging the male dominance,” said Afzal Shigri, former IGP of Sindh province.
“But the conditions have become worse due to low literacy and tribal/feudal dominance in the rural areas of Sindh and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa,” he added.
In comparison with other provinces, Punjab saw the highest number of complaints contributing up to 71 per cent of the total complaints received from across the country.
As per statistics on provincial basis, Sindh reported a total number of 6,842 offences, while women in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa filed 2,766 complaints.
At least 540 complaints of criminal offences, including rape, murder and kidnapping, 1,939 complaints related to inheritance of property, 3,481 cases of domestic violence, 3,571 complaints of harassment and 1,790 complaints on family issues were filed by the women with the Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW) in 2021.
Other than the above mentioned, at least 12,975 additional complaints were also lodged by women regarding their education and health.
The increasing cases of violence against women in Pakistan have tainted the very claim of Prime Minister Imran Khan, who has time and again emphasised his government’s vision of ensuring equal rights for women.
It is pertinent to mention the upcoming event ‘Aurat March’, a women-led rally demanding rights and co-existence of women in Pakistan, taken out every year on International Women’s Day (March 8), will also highlight the issue of increasing cases of violence against women in the country, and has received widespread criticism for its agenda and aims.
The Pakistani society, which has a history of male domination, seems to be having a difficult time in seeing women get empowered and realise their basic rights as per the religious teachings of Islam and the basic principles of human rights.
This is why the religious hardliners in the country have vowed to take a stand against the upcoming Aurat March, to be held countrywide on March 8.
